Expert: Scott Talbot - 1/1/2011

Question
QUESTION: Hello Scott,
Happy New Year! When Christ left the disciples, He told them to tarry in Jerusalem and ‘wait’ for the promise of the Father: in which Peter describes to the onlookers in Acts as the gift of the Holy Spirit. But Acts 2:4 says that the apostles were ‘filled’ with the Holy Spirit; not baptized. So but Christ said  “….ye shall be baptized with the Holy Ghost not many days from hence.” Is this the same holy Spirit of promise that is described in Ephesians 1:13? I am just asking because I have come to know as a believer that we as believers already have the indwelling of the Holy Spirit when we become born again. And I have come to believe that this is what helps us for our sanctification and power over sin. Isn’t this the same Spirit that the apostle Paul is discussing in Romans 8, especially verses 9-14? I thought that we already have the indwelling of the Holy Spirit? Isn’t this why Jesus said that He would not leave us comfortless (John 16:7)?
I hope I don’t sound bewildered or confusing but see I go into almost an altercation with my aunt today over indwelling of the Holy Spirit. As far as I know, and with most of my believer friends, we know that as born-again Christians that we live out the life of Christ with the indwelling power of the Holy Spirit and this is what sanctifies us to continue our faith in Christ. But I am terribly concerned because her church teaches that the new believer does not have the indwelling until they receive the Baptism of the Holy Spirit, so the new believer has to seek for the baptism in the Holy Spirit in order to have the indwelling of the Holy Spirit…..and that sanctification does not take place (we are not able to die to 'self')AT ALL until one has been baptized with the Holy Spirit (oh and by the way they say that this must be accompanied by speaking with other tongues). These teachings seem wrong to me, and go contrary to what I read in the Epistles. Please help and thoroughly explain for me. God bless you.
Yours in Christ, Angela

ANSWER: Hi Angela,

There is a small group of Christians (Pentecostals, primarily) who believe that the indwelling of the Holy Spirit is something that happens separately and apart from salvation. They base this teaching on a misunderstanding of passages in the book of Acts.

Prior to the time of the early church, believers did not receive the Holy Spirit. This is purely a New Testament phenomenon. So there had to be a time that this began. This came after Christ's death, burial, and resurrection in fulfillment of His promise that He would send the Holy Spirit, His alter-ego, "The Comforter."

This happened in several stages in the book of Acts. The reason for this is that God wanted to make it abundantly clear that salvation, and the accompanying gift of the indwelling Holy Spirit, was available to both Jews and Gentiles.

The book of Acts gives us several examples of the Holy Spirit's coming upon believers and filling or baptizing them. (Is the believer immersed in the Spirit [baptized], or is the Spirit immersed in the believer [filled]? Both are true.)

Following these introductory "events" during which believers were filled with the Holy Spirit, it became automatic for all new believers to receive the Holy Spirit immediately at the time of their salvation. This is clear from Paul's epistles.

Following is a link to an article that does a good job of addressing this issue:

http://www.stempublishing.com/authors/various/Do_All_Believers_Receive_The_Holy_

I hope that helps. Happy New Year to you, too!

Scott

---------- FOLLOW-UP ----------

QUESTION: Scott!!
Okay....I get it now. That's why Jesus during his ministry with the disciples would tell them of the Spirit of Truth, the Comforter (or Helper); aka the Holy Spirit!!! He breathed on them in John 20:22, days before the episode on the day of Pentecost....in which case they already 'received' the indwelling of the Holy Spirit in preparation for the gift. That's why the Bible says the disciples were 'filled' with the Holy Ghost and spoke in other tongues as the manifestation of the gift because the Lord Jesus himself already gave them the Spirit as an indwelling. And that's why the Apostle Paul notices the difference in what is lacking with a group of disciples whom he encountered in Acts 19. They were saved, but had not yet become candidates for the gift. I also remember in John 7: 37-39 where there is described by Jesus the outpour of the Holy Spirit as living waters...but the subsequent verses indicate that this would only happen with those who had recieved the Spirit who believed on Jesus AFTER he was glorified (after his death, burial, and resurrection)....Am I right in my analysis???
Thanks so much for the article --- I enjoyed reading it. It's always nice to feel refreshed with complete Scriptural support. But really why do churches teach wrong doctrine to the people???? What's up with that??? I mean it's clear from the beginning Acts 2 that the 'gift' would be consequent to the promise; the Holy Spirit of promise....God's seal for redemption to those who believe on the gospel (his SON Jesus Christ).
So again the million-dollar question: why do these churches teach sanctification only beginning at the Baptism of the Holy Spirit and clearly deny Scriptures that every believer is endowed with the indwelling of the Holy Spirit??? Why??? Are Christians not reading the Scriptures for themselves to 'see' that what they are teaching from Scriptures is misconstrued?? I mean, isn't reading the Bible homework for the Christian??? Are these churches really the Body of Christ???

Answer
Angela,

That's a good question. Why do churches teach wrong doctrine?

There are many reasons. One may be simple misunderstanding. Another may be an unfamiliarity with Scripture, or the inability to rightly interpret it the way God intended. One may not be relying on God for insight. Some, in fact, don't understand because they are not believers.

Satan is the master deceiver, and he wants to keep us from fully understanding God's truth. So he uses many methods to accomplish this objective.

You hit the nail on the head. It is the responsibility of all Christians to read, learn, and understand the Scriptures so that we can rightly divide the Word of Truth. As you said, that is our homework. But it takes discipline and commitment.

Scott